Tri-County Regional Planning
Commission (TCRPC) views the process of planning for physical development in the region as dynamic in nature and alternating between larger area-wide planning efforts toward more detailed County, Municipal and Project planning. The Regional Growth
Management Plan (RGMP) represents a significant attempt to address the problems associated with changing economic, social, and physical attributes of the Cumberland, Dauphin and Perry County
Region. Upon completion of this initiative implementation will be necessary through the County and municipal level.
Periodic review and amendment of plan elements is essential. The Regional Growth Management Plan is especially important since it is the foundation for
future county comprehensive plans, regional transportation plans and other updates. Regional planning, as envisioned by the Commission, is not a substitute for, but rather a supplement to local, county, state and federal
planning activities. Over time, there is a need for a review and reevaluation of plan policies in light of the changes, which have occurred in the Region. The current regional land use plan was updated in 1982.
RGMP Direction
The Regional Growth Management Plan will serve as a guide for coordinating comprehensive planning among the 103 municipalities, 3 counties and regional
planning agency within the Tri-County area. This plan is a working document that will serve as the foundation for future county comprehensive plans, regional transportation plans and other plan updates.
The Regional Growth Management Plan is designed to encourage inter-jurisdictional cooperation of ongoing planning for land use, transportation, economic and
cultural development and to revise physical growth policies to the year 2020 for Cumberland, Dauphin and Perry Counties.
The Objectives of the Planning Process
Ø
Preparing and maintaining a coordinated and uniform data collection and analysis that provide on a continuous bases; summary data on population, land use, natural resources, public services and
utilities of the Region;
Ø
Promoting cooperation among Regional, County and Local planning activities;
Ø
Promoting a better understanding of the interrelationships between land use and transportation, public utilities, services and of factors influencing physical growth and development within the Region;
Ø
Increase awareness of the effects individual local community plans have on the development of surrounding communities;
Ø
Reinvigorating formal and informal mechanisms for continuous public participation and public involvement within TCRPC’s planning program.
Elements of the Regional Growth Management Plan
Every planning project and process must embrace a formal structure to ensure that it is carried out in a logical and consistent manner. Typically, the plan
process involves several important steps including:
Plan Process and Study Design
Inventory
Analysis and Forecasts
Formulation of Objectives and Standards
Plan Design
Plan Evaluation
Plan Refinement and Adoption
Public involvement initiatives and plan implementation activities are generally initiated and considered throughout the planning process. Vigorous public
involvement during the plan process assists in forming public and/or constituent "ownership" of the plan and its policies so that realization of the plans may be fostered.
During the design phase of the Regional Growth Management Plan, key work elements were outlined in the 1996 State Planning Assistance Grant applications. The 1996 grant was
to define Planned Growth Areas for the Tri-County Region and complimentary development goals and objectives to be coordinated with Regional Transportation Plans and other mutually supportive plans.
Mission Statement
q
Element 1 – Introduction and Brief Review of Regional Planning in the Tri-County Region
q
Element 2 - Population Trends and Projections
Presents a description and Analysis of the Region’s resident population and historical trends and how the data is used in the planning process.
Population projections to the year 2020 are the most important component of this element.
q
Element 3 - Regional Housing Trends and Needs
Presents a brief description and analysis of the Region’s housing unit trends. An important component of Element 3 addresses the number of needed
housing units as housing relates to population projections.
q
Element 4 - Natural Features and Cultural Assets
Element 4 is an inventory of select natural features used in the development of the Community Service Areas, Planned Growth Areas and other land use
policies for the Region. Floodplains, wetlands, agriculture land for preservation, historical and other regionally significant features were researched.
 
 
q
Element 5 - Regional Development and Existing Land Use
Description of the past and present land use pattern in the Tri-County Region are presented as well as the results of the 1997 Regional land use survey
activities and vacant land use study.
q
Element 6 - Regional Density Study
Element 6 defines and describes aspects of density for use in preparation of the Regional Growth Management Plan.
Element 7 – Public Involvement
Element 7 briefly describes the methods of public involvement that were utilized in the planning process.
q
Element 8 - Community Facilities and Services
Consists of an inventory of services in the region, including current levels of service and future demands on the systems.
q
Element 9 - Transportation System Overview
Element 9 describes the present transportation system, as well as, planned improvements to the transportation and transit systems. Element 9 also
discusses the linkage between transportation and land use planning and the anticipated linkages of the PGA policies.
q
Element 10 - Planning Assumptions, CSA and PGA Delineation
This element establishes the basic definitions and assumptions to be used in creating the CSA’s for the Tri-County Region.
q
Element 11 –Regional Growth Policy Statements
This element contains the formal set of policy statements related to the PGA concept and the overall Regional Growth Management Plan.
q
Element 12 – Implementation Recommendations
Element 12 contains a set of implementation strategies and actions to realize the proposed Regional Growth Management Plan.
To comment on the plan please use the form below. The RGMP is a working document and public comment is always welcome. For more information on the status of this
project, please contact TCRPC at 717-234-2639 or via e-mail at planning@tcrpc-pa.org
Comments
Type your comments in the text box below and click submit
* Note: You need Acrobat Reader to view the above Elements and Maps |
